On estimates we recommend not to use long texts. With long texts it might happen that the format going to be messed up. When you need to have long texts on your estimates, we recommend to use interactive proposals ➝

Create a new estimate

To create a new estimate go to, Sales ➝ Estimates ➝ Create Estimate ➝ fill fields ➝ click “Preview” or “Activate and Send”.

You can also find the “Create a new Estimate” feature in the Quick Toolbox:

View or edit an estimate

You can view an estimate by clicking on its name on the grid (Sales ➝ Estimates).
This will show you the view your clients will have of the estimate and it is how it will look like if printed.

To edit an estimate, click on the pencil icon in the estimate preview or open the “Edit” link from the row end menu on the grid.

Estimate data – description

When you open an estimate page – you’ll see the following data and customization:
Estimate title – this may simply be an internal note and will be displayed on the Estimate Grid:

…Or it can be used as a text under the estimate name on the final version of the estimate document.

If you wish to include the title in the final version go to Settings ➝ Preferences ➝ Invoices & Estimates ➝ check the checkbox “Show invoice/estimate title in preview” (more here).

Estimate Number: – You can check/un-check the ability to update the estimate number here: Settings ➝ Invoices & Estiamtes ➝ checkbox “Allow editing invoice/estimate number”.
Change the estimate number format, go to: Settings ➝ Number Groups. More here

“Valid for”, “Valid until” – this field shows the client how long your estimate is valid for.

Note: the default ‘Valid for’ applied to all estimates is 4 weeks, but you can choose another period.

“Term” – means how many days from the invoice based on this estimate will be valid for payment.

More options:
“Language” – the language used in the estimate document
“Currency” – the currency of the estimate

Estimate items – this is the body of the invoice. You can choose tasks or items from the existing product list or create new product point.

Notes:
“Internal note” – a note which will only be visible whilst you are editing the estimate
“Client note”, “Terms and conditions” – these will be displayed on estimate preview.

Send an estimate to a customer

You can send an estimate by clicking “Activate and Send” on the create/edit estimate page.
You can also send estimates by clicking “Send to client” on the row end menu.

…Or by clicking ‘Send to client’ on the bulk actions

Note: If it’s important for you to have a Quote, not an Estimate, you can change it with our Template Editor.

Here is  How to rename an Estimate to a Quote video.

Estimate replying and commenting

Before approving an estimate, your clients may reply to further discuss.

In order to reply to your estimate they need to open the estimate preview  (Sales -> Estimates) -> by clicking on estimate name on the grid➝ click ‘Message History’ ➝ insert their comment and click ‘Send’.

The account owner, admins, and leaders can respond to client comments in the same way.

They can also comment on an estimate in the estimate’s history at the bottom of the estimate preview page. Click on ‘+ Add Comment’ ➝ enter your comment and click ‘Add Comment’.

These comments will be visible to all users of your account (account owner, staff members, clients, tax consultant)

Estimate approving

Estimates can be approved by the client, account owner or team leader.

To approve estimate an estimate check the boxes of the required estimates on the grid ➝ then click ‘Approve Estimate’

Once you click ‘approve’, the status of your estimate will then be changed to ‘accepted’ and the client will no longer be able to reply to this estimate. If you still need to discuss it with the client – mark it back to ‘activated’:

Converting an estimate to an invoice

You can easily create invoices based on your estimate data.

To convert an estimate to an invoice go to the estimate’s grid and choose ‘Generate Invoice’ on the row and menu.

After saving your invoice, the estimate status will be changed to ‘invoiced’.

Difference between deleted and archived estimates

You can delete or archive estimates.

Archived estimates – do not allow you to make any further actions and the client will no longer see these estimates in their profile. However, data from these estimates will continue to be included in your reports.

Deleted estimates – do not allow you to make any further actions and the client will not see deleted estimates in their profile. Data from these estimates will not be included in your reports.

However, you are able to reactivate archived or deleted estimates at any time.

Convert estimate to a project

You can easily convert an estimate to a project via the dropdown:

Please note that you can only create one project out of one estimate (1-1 relation). Also, you cannot convert estimates to project if the estimate is already invoiced.

If you convert an estimate to a project, a window opens where you can enter basic informations for the project. Also you get a prompt feedback wich tasks and items will be created in the project:

You also see on the project dashboard how many items and tasks are in a project based on the number besides the tab:

You will also see in the estimates history who created a project out of a estimate:

If the project is using a flat project amount as billing method the estimate net amount (subtotal without taxes) will be used as flat project amount.

1. Draft
2. Activated
3. Viewed
4. Replied
5. Accepted
6. Invoiced
7. Expired
8. Converted to Project

You can see the status of an estimate on the estimate grid:

1. Draft
This status appears if you click “Preview” after estimate creation:

2. Activated
This status appears if you click “Activate and Send” after estimate creation…

OR if you send to your client the “Draft” estimate or you “mark as activated”.

3. Viewed
If the client has opened (viewed) received the estimate in zistemo via the client’s account

4. Replied
If the client has replied (commented) on the estimate (more here).

5. Accepted
If the client has approved the estimate in zistemo via the client’s account

Or if you did it by yourself.   

6. Invoiced
If you have generated an invoice based on this estimate. Note: If an Estimate is already Invoiced then it can’t be edited anymore (neither changed back to activated nor approved).

7. Expired
The estimate is no longer valid, since the date of validity is expired.

8. Converted to Project
The estimate was converted to a project. You can convert an estimate into a project on the line end menu “Convert to Project”. Please note that you can only create 1 project out of 1 estimate (1-to-1 relation).

If you want to know which project it is you can review more details in the estimate history where you also see who converted the estimate and when.

First you need to activate this option. It is by default deactivated!
Go to: Settings -> Preferences -> Invoices and Estimates 

When adding an item to your estimate you can mark it as Optional. Also, you can choose if this item should be active or inactive by default in the estimate. If you mark the item as Active it will be included into the totals calculation.

Note: If you mark an estimate as optional you and your customer can activate and deactivate this item until it is accepted.

On the estimate your customer/client can switch this item on or off

If the customer decides to enable the optional items, the option will be crossed out:

Note:

• When estimate status is not approved = optional line items are italic
• When estimate is approved = line items are crossed out